Adverbial clauses of comparison

Adverbial clauses of comparison denote an action with which the action of the principal clause is compared. They are introduced by the conjunctions that, as, as... as, not so... as, as if, as though.

Mr. Direck’s broken Wrist healed sooner than he desired. (Wells)

We were going up the road as fast as we could. (Hemingway)

He was white and jaded, as if he had not slept for many nights. (Wells)

She could see his lips moving, from time to time, as though he were talking

to himself. (Cronin)

N o t e. — Some grammarians number among complex sentences, containing

an adverbial clause of comparison, sentences of the following type:

The more he reflected on the idea the more he liked it. (Galsworthy)

The nearer he drew to that grim citadel the faster his pulse raced. (Cronin)

This way of analysis is open to objection on the ground that in sentences of this type it is impossible to point out the principal and the subordinate clause as, strictly speaking, here we have mutual subordination.

§ 21. Some of the conjunctions introducing adverbial clauses are polysemantic and can introduce different types of adverbial clauses. For instance, the conjunction as may introduce adverbial clauses of time, cause, manner, and comparison.

As he spoke there was a sharp ring at the bell. (Conan Doyle) (ADVERBIAL

CLAUSE OF TIME)

As the morning was fine, and he had an hour on his hands, he crossed the

river by the ferry, and strolled along a footpath through some meadows.

(Dickens) (ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF CAUSE)

The dog did as he was ordered. (Dickens) (ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF

MANNER)

She (Lillian) saw now that she did not love him (Cowperwood) as some

women love their husbands. (Dreiser) (ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF

COMPARISON)

The conjunction since introduces adverbial clauses of time and cause.

It was a long time since I had written to the States... (Hemingway)

(ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF TIME)

Since the lunchroom was full, she sat at our table, and, reached out for the bill

of fare. (King) (ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF CAUSE)

The composite conjunction so that introduces adverbial clauses of result and purpose.

They were rich and I was poor, so that it was no easy matter for me to follow

them. (Conan Doyle) (ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF RESULT)

I turned away, so that Frith should not see my face. (Du Maurier)

(ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF PURPOSE)

THE COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE

A compound-complex sentence is a sentence consisting of two or more coordinate clauses one of which at least has one or several subordinate clauses.

There was a song in every heart; and if the heart was young the music issued

at the lips. (Twain)

PARENTHETICAL CLAUSES

Besides all the types of clauses mentioned above, there is a special type of clause called the parenthetical clause, as in the following examples:

You are, I am afraid, far more urgently in need of medical advice than your

daughter. (Collins)

The next and last step in the investigation brought matters, as they say, to a

crisis. (Collins)

Her singing is something quite exceptional, I think. (Eliot)

Chapter XVIII

THE SEQUENCE OF TENSES

§ 1. The sequence of tenses is a certain dependence of the tense of the verb in a subordinate clause on that of the verb in the principal clause: if the verb in the principal clause is in one of the past tenses, a past tense (or future in the past) must be used in the subordinate clause. The rule is generally observed in object clauses (a more detailed treatment of the question will be found in § 7, 9, 10).

I thought you had better sense. (Dreiser)

I always thought it would come to this.

N o t e. — It is implied in the rule of the sequence of tenses that if a present or

future tense is used in the principal clause, any tense required by the sense can

be used in the subordinate clause:

I’ve seenwhich way the wind is blowing. (Dreiser)

§ 2. If the past action expressed in the subordinate clause is simultaneous with that expressed in the principal clause, the Past Indefinite or the Past Continuous is used in the subordinate clause:

I thought you had more courage than this. (Dreiser)

Я думал, что у вас больше мужества.

Не looked at Cowperwood and saw at once... that the latter was preparing a

big fight of some sort. (Dreiser)

Он посмотрел на Каупервуда и сразу понял, что тот замышляет какой-то

бой.

If the past action expressed in the subordinate clause is prior to that expressed in the principal clause, the Past Perfect is used in the subordinate clause:

He knew that she (Hetty) had not had time to read the letter. (Eliot)

Он знал, что она еще не успела прочесть письмо.

If the action expressed in the subordinate clause lasted a certain time before the action expressed in the principal clause, the Past Perfect Continuous or the Past Perfect Inclusive is used in the subordinate clause.

He realized that the old life he had lived in that city since boyhood was

ended. (Dreiser)

Он понял, что та жизнь, которой он жил в этом городе с детства,

окончилась.

If the action expressed in the subordinate clause is posterior to that of the principal clause the Future in the Past is used.

He knew they would read the book the following year. (FUTURE

INDEFINITE IN THE PAST)

He knew they would be reading when she came. (FUTURE CONTINUOUS

IN THE PAST)

He knew they would have read the book by the 1st of June. (FUTURE

PERFECT IN THE PAST)

Occasionally we find examples of should being used with the 3rd person and would with the 1st. This generally occurs when the speaker wants to preserve the same verb that was used by the original speaker.

See! Here’s his writing; I made him put it down this morning when he told me

he shouldn’t be back before I came here. (Dickens)

He asked me if there wasn’tany hope that I would change. (Webster)

§ 3. If there are several subordinate clauses in a sentence, the rule of the sequence of tenses is observed in all of them.

As the weeks went by... he began to believe that she had been able to think

of her girlish fancy that Arthur was in love with her and would marry her as

a folly of which she was timely cured. (Eliot)

§ 4. The rule of the sequence of tenses also holds good when a past tense is used in a subordinate clause to which other clauses are subordinated.

She says he knew they would never return. (Bennett)

He said he was sure you were in.

§ 5. It should be noted that the rule of the sequence of tenses is observed after verbals if they depend on a finite verb in the past tense:

Cowperwood stood by his desk... wondering where he should get one